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Tazed During Officer Assault

BERLIN — A Baltimore man allegedly high on PCP was arrested on multiple charges last weekend after charging a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy and getting shot with a Taser before continuing to scrap with numerous law enforcement officials.

Around 6 a.m. last Saturday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to the Lake Haven trailer park in Berlin for a reported disorderly subject. As the deputy pulled into the trailer park and exited his patrol vehicle, the suspect, later identified as James Conroy, 38, of Baltimore, began aggressively running toward the officer.

The deputy ordered Conroy to stop, but the suspect refused to comply with orders and continued to run at the officer. The deputy shot Conroy with a Taser, but the Taser had no effect on the suspect. Conroy then began to assault the deputy. A short time later, Maryland State Police troopers and officers from the Berlin Police Department and Ocean Pines Police Department arrived on the scene.

Conroy allegedly continued to fight with the law enforcement officers before eventually being taken into custody. The original deputy on the scene, along with two other officers, were treated at Atlantic General for injuries sustained in the altercation and were released. Conroy was charged with assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was ordered held on a $50,000 bond. The investigation revealed Conroy was allegedly under the influence of PCP during the incident.

Four Arrested For Drugs

OCEAN CITY — Four New York men were arrested on drug distribution charges last weekend after fighting with Ocean City police investigating their dealing activity.

Around 12:40 a.m. last Thursday, Ocean City Police Narcotics Unit officers along with the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team were investigating the illegal distribution of marijuana in the area of Philadelphia Ave. and 6th Street. During the course of the investigation, OCPD detectives and uniformed officers attempted to arrest two suspects for distribution of controlled dangerous substances (CDS) on a porch at 6th Street and Philadelphia Ave.

As the officers were attempting to place the suspects under arrest, the suspects began to struggle and fight with the officers. At that point, several occupants of the residence came out and began to interfere with the arresting officers and fight police. The original officers on the scene had to call for additional units to assist with the arrests. In addition, marijuana was discovered in the top floor unit of the building where the suspect’s friends were staying.

A total of four suspects were arrested, including Thomas William Mullen, 20, of Pearl River, N.Y.; Andrew James McAllister, 20, of Garnerville, N.Y.; Michael Anthony Sadori, 20, of North Rockland, N.Y.; and Thomas Patrick Brannigan, 20, of Garnerville, N.Y. Mullen was charged with conspiracy to distribute CDS and resisting arrest. McAllister was charged with distribution of CDS, Sadori was charged with conspiracy to distribute CDS and resisting arrest, and Brannigan was charged with distribution of CDS. All four suspects were transferred to the Worcester County Jail where they were each being held on a $7,500 bond.

Traffic Stop Nets Pot Bust

WEST OCEAN CITY — Two people were arrested on marijuana possession charges after a routine traffic stop in West Ocean City last Friday.

Around 11:30 a.m. last Friday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy stopped a vehicle for a seatbelt violation on Route 50 in the area of Keyser Point Rd. Upon making contact with the occupants of the vehicle, the deputy detected a strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle. When questioned about the weed, the passenger, identified as Gabrielle Fitzgerald, 22, of Baltimore, told the officer there was marijuana and a bowl in her bag in the trunk.

A search of the vehicle revealed suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The driver, identified as James Kimble, 27, of Pasadena, Md., was charged with possession of paraphernalia. Fitzgerald was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. Both suspects were released pending trial.

Jail Time For Motel Theft

SNOW HILL — An Ocean City woman arrested last October after resort police were able to connect her to a burglary at an Ocean City motel last June pleaded guilty last week to theft and was sentenced to six years in jail, all but a little less than two months of which were then suspended.

Around 8 p.m. last June 16, an OCPD officer met with the victims of a reported burglary at the Sea Scape Motel on the Boardwalk at 16th Street. The victims told police they had left their room around 9 a.m., leaving their belongings behind. They returned around 7:30 p.m. and discovered a suitcase had been moved and some property was missing including a lap-top computer, a digital camera and around $450 in currency. Also missing was a cell phone.

No signs of forced entry were observed, and the investigation remained open. On Oct. 11, 2011, a local woman, identified as Billy Jo Conner, 43, of Ocean City, was arrested for an outstanding warrant related to credit card theft. The arresting officer routinely checked the Maryland Regional Automated Property Information Database (RAPID) for any pawns Conner had made.

The RAPID system reported Conner had pawned a lap-top computer at a pawn shop in Salisbury around noon on June 16, the same day the robbery was reported at the Sea Scape. The officer was then able to determine the lap-top computer was likely the same one reported stolen in June. The investigating officer then ran a history check to see if there were any other calls for service at the motel around the same date and time.

The officer discovered Conner and her boyfriend had been staying at the motel in a room adjacent to the room where the robbery occurred. A check with motel staff revealed there had been several complaints about Conner’s room and the couple had been evicted because of all of the commotion. While the evidence certainly pointed to Conner as the suspect in the burglary, the investigating officer last week contacted the Hewlett Packard support line and confirmed the lap-top computer pawned by Conner had been registered to the victim in the robbery. Last week in Circuit Court, Conner pleaded guilty to one count of theft from $1,000 to under $10,000 and was sentenced to six years in jail, all but one month and 23 days of which were then suspended. She was also placed on probation to two years and fined $500.

First Bomb Dog Retired

SNOW HILL — The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office this week announced the agency’s first-ever trained bomb dog, K-9 Toby, was officially retiring after 10 years on the job.

The Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday announced Toby, an English springer spaniel, was retiring after 10 years and will live with long-time handler Deputy Dave Lewis and his family. Toby was the department’s first bomb-sniffing dog and could be seen over the years performing searches at the courthouse in Snow Hill and at special events and elections at the Ocean City Convention Center, for example.

The Sheriff’s Office has purchased and trained another bomb dog, a German shepherd named Edo, and selected Dfc. Dale Trotter to be his handler. Trotter and Edo traveled to North Carolina to receive the requisite training in explosive detection and are already patrolling the streets in Worcester County.